Okay, after reading some, I think my gut instinct was spot on. Beans are going to be the staple, and some rice as well. There is a great post in here about how to cook beans to remove a lot of the stuff that makes them objectionable in a diet:

Berries are kinda pricey, though strawberries are in season so frequently on sale dirt cheap here. Frozen fruits and veggies are okay, just make sure they aren't processed and packaged in bad stuff (HFCS is the big one. Seriously IN EVERYTHING.) Blocks of frozen spinach (the store brand) are pretty affordable here and are often on sale for $1. Pumpkin seeds, obviously since it's raw he's talking about pepitas... if you can buy these in bulk they aren't too pricey, and I like to snack on them some - also use them along with flax seed as "cereal" with berries. Bananas... if you don't object to a brown banana, try to find a grocery store that sells their ripe bananas cheaper than the usual. It's all I ever buy anymore, I never buy yellow or green-tipped bananas. Always ripe because they are cheaper (and I like a ripe banana anyway.) One grocery store here has a discount produce rack that I will raid and have gotten some just fine produce that is ripe, but I bring it home and either use it immediately or chop/slice it and freeze it for use in a few days.
Missing from that list is sweet potatoes and I think you should keep those in the diet. Also avocados. If you have an Aldi nearby I think their avocados are typically $1 per.

Really, I think you're looking at shopping in bulk. Beans in bulk, rice in bulk, nuts and seeds in bulk. It's Farmer's Market season and sometimes you can get good deals on produce at the Farmer's Market, so try checking those out too. Stalk sales. Buy whatever is on sale. USE whatever you buy. Don't waste food. That's the big thing... a lot of people get produce and then don't even eat it so it goes bad and they have to throw it out. If you have money to just throw in the trash please send it to me instead, I could use it! So whatever you buy, use. Don't overbuy unless you're planning on freezing it.

I hope that helps some. It's tough when you're on a tight budget. I would say on the weeks you have a bit extra, buy something in bulk or something you can freeze so you can stockpile it away for later. I have about one week every few months where I spend $40 buying a bunch of bulk stuff, but it lasts a few months too, so it's not that bad. Doesn't make that particular grocery store visit any more pleasant though LOL.
$20 a week is about what I spend normally. But I do eat dairy (cheese!) and meat. Most of that goes to meat. If I had to sustain without meat, I think I'd go back to eating more rice for sure.

with plenty of water and a hoshposh of fruits throughout the day (I always pack an apple or some berries to snack on the train)

and on weekends (20%) I allow myself one BAD MEAL per day..that's either french toast for breakfast or pasta for dinner. with the rest remaining much of the same.
the 80/20 thing seems to be working. I am not teetering on the edge of craziness and I allow myself to still eat the foods I love to eat!

For my health, I want to eventually get 100% paleo but, knowing myself, easing into it is a much better frame for success than cold turkey.

Insanity is going well.. well, as in I hate sean T more and more and want to smash his bald head into the TV.
So that's good lol

Well screening is over and results were what I expected. Everything is in the good range but the higher end of the good range except for my weight and body fat percentage. . That's way high and in 9 lbs heavier than last year. My cholesterol went down quite a bit though.

I keep tellin myself knowledge is power and even though it sucks seeing yourself labelled as category 2 obese, it's good to have concrete data I can look back on in several months to see how my efforts are affecting my TOTAL health and not just my weight.

I had a vague idea of my actual weight going in to the program, I was around the 220lb mark probably closer to 230lbs. While waiting to take after photos, Sar told me to weigh myself as the scale was right there. So I did. 200lbs even.

Well screening is over and results were what I expected. Everything is in the good range but the higher end of the good range except for my weight and body fat percentage. . That's way high and in 9 lbs heavier than last year. My cholesterol went down quite a bit though.

I keep tellin myself knowledge is power and even though it sucks seeing yourself labelled as category 2 obese, it's good to have concrete data I can look back on in several months to see how my efforts are affecting my TOTAL health and not just my weight.

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With apologies to the old GI Joe cartoons from the 80's, "Knowing is half the battle". That knowledge of where you are and where you are headed will be crucial in your health journey. I will warn you not to take "good numbers" as an indicator to "slack off". I had great success a few years ago, got my numbers under control, the doc even said, "Patient is in control" in my chart. Well, that was true, I was in control, but I controlled myself right back into my old unhealthy habits. So, good for you for acquiring this knowledge and double-good for you for doing something about it!

I had a vague idea of my actual weight going in to the program, I was around the 220lb mark probably closer to 230lbs. While waiting to take after photos, Sar told me to weigh myself as the scale was right there. So I did. 200lbs even.

As for me, we went to Dorney Park yesterday for my younger daughter's birthday. In previous trips (as recent as last summer), there were several rides that I simply did not fit on, even in the "larger seat" rows. I fit in the standard seats with room to spare and even rode a coaster that I had never ridden before because I was too fat for the restraint. We had an awesome time and I even walked around shirtless in the water park without feeling like everyone was judging my big gut. I'm no Adonis or body builder by any means, but I felt as confident as Mr. Universe.

Okay, after reading some, I think my gut instinct was spot on. Beans are going to be the staple, and some rice as well. There is a great post in here about how to cook beans to remove a lot of the stuff that makes them objectionable in a diet:

There is a book called Thrive Foods that has some suggestions, though he is actually all about raw vegan. However I think the food suggestions hold.

Berries are kinda pricey, though strawberries are in season so frequently on sale dirt cheap here. Frozen fruits and veggies are okay, just make sure they aren't processed and packaged in bad stuff (HFCS is the big one. Seriously IN EVERYTHING.) Blocks of frozen spinach (the store brand) are pretty affordable here and are often on sale for $1. Pumpkin seeds, obviously since it's raw he's talking about pepitas... if you can buy these in bulk they aren't too pricey, and I like to snack on them some - also use them along with flax seed as "cereal" with berries. Bananas... if you don't object to a brown banana, try to find a grocery store that sells their ripe bananas cheaper than the usual. It's all I ever buy anymore, I never buy yellow or green-tipped bananas. Always ripe because they are cheaper (and I like a ripe banana anyway.) One grocery store here has a discount produce rack that I will raid and have gotten some just fine produce that is ripe, but I bring it home and either use it immediately or chop/slice it and freeze it for use in a few days.
Missing from that list is sweet potatoes and I think you should keep those in the diet. Also avocados. If you have an Aldi nearby I think their avocados are typically $1 per.

Really, I think you're looking at shopping in bulk. Beans in bulk, rice in bulk, nuts and seeds in bulk. It's Farmer's Market season and sometimes you can get good deals on produce at the Farmer's Market, so try checking those out too. Stalk sales. Buy whatever is on sale. USE whatever you buy. Don't waste food. That's the big thing... a lot of people get produce and then don't even eat it so it goes bad and they have to throw it out. If you have money to just throw in the trash please send it to me instead, I could use it! So whatever you buy, use. Don't overbuy unless you're planning on freezing it.

I hope that helps some. It's tough when you're on a tight budget. I would say on the weeks you have a bit extra, buy something in bulk or something you can freeze so you can stockpile it away for later. I have about one week every few months where I spend $40 buying a bunch of bulk stuff, but it lasts a few months too, so it's not that bad. Doesn't make that particular grocery store visit any more pleasant though LOL.
$20 a week is about what I spend normally. But I do eat dairy (cheese!) and meat. Most of that goes to meat. If I had to sustain without meat, I think I'd go back to eating more rice for sure.

I am eating well. Veggies, a little bit of fruit (mostly berries), protein, no bad carbs and limited amount of good carbs. I track my calories, I drink plenty of water. I work out minimal 4 times a week and I work out hard.

The scale is not budging. I feel different, though. I bought new pants, one a size 12 and jeans size 10. But whyyyyy is the scale not budging at all?! I understand I lift weights, but COME ON. Body, don't tell me I'll be 180lbs for the rest of my life.

Grrrrrrr. I'm thinking of adding more cardio next week. Maybe running during lunch along the canal.

Jules that sucks. My body seems to regulate right around 180, which is still way over my ideal weight. I know you have PCOS too so maybe that's a factor, I don't know. But that's a hard plateau for me to cross and it seems like if I slip up once I bump right back up to 180. The only time I went under 180 (managed to make 150) I was working out 5x a week with 30 mins cardio and 30 mins weightlifting 3x a week. And then on top of that, Summer and I were walking 2 hours a day every day. I don't have time to work out 3 hours anymore.

Where are your calories at, Jules? You might be dealing with the same thing I am which is not eating enough... which sounds really stupid as a reason to not be losing weight but it's a Real Thing. There's even a term for it and some guy had a great video I watched about a week ago but I've slept multiple times since then so I can't remember the term or find the video... I'll try to find it again.

The blog owner over at PaleOMG said she took up running, went easy on the weight lifting, and she has started to see a change in her body that she likes. There's kind of a history of posts over there where she was frustrated and sad and not liking her body, and she DOES still CrossFit, but she is happier with her body now that she has put cardio in and stopped being quite so obsessive with the CrossFitting. It's worth a shot to add cardio in, especially if you enjoy it. I do both because I enjoy both!

A friend was trying to explain a diet/lifestyle change where you could eat as much as you like of only certain foods, I think proteins and vegetables and still lose weight.

But I'm not finding any information on the name of it to see if it's a gimmick or not.

Doing myfitnesspal was great when I did it a few years ago and lost a few pounds, but I'm still eating a lot of processed and junk food, though in lesser quantities. I want to get to eating as healthy as possible but still having some sort of guidelines to help..

Hit the end of a weight loss challenge contest I'm participating in on another forum today. Final weigh-in puts me at today's number of 211.6. From the start of the contest, I am down 45.4 (257 to start). Over 17% loss. I should cash out.

Where are your calories at, Jules? You might be dealing with the same thing I am which is not eating enough... which sounds really stupid as a reason to not be losing weight but it's a Real Thing. There's even a term for it and some guy had a great video I watched about a week ago but I've slept multiple times since then so I can't remember the term or find the video... I'll try to find it again.

The blog owner over at PaleOMG said she took up running, went easy on the weight lifting, and she has started to see a change in her body that she likes. There's kind of a history of posts over there where she was frustrated and sad and not liking her body, and she DOES still CrossFit, but she is happier with her body now that she has put cardio in and stopped being quite so obsessive with the CrossFitting. It's worth a shot to add cardio in, especially if you enjoy it. I do both because I enjoy both!

Sorry for the mega delay in responding, it actually took me a couple of days to watch the video.. Holy moly, thanks Beanie, that was really helpful and interesting and definitely something I will consider before I fall into that trap. I started incorporating more wholesome foods and carbs into my food - not drastic, just a little, and also will take into consideration that my body needs to rest.

Jules that sucks. My body seems to regulate right around 180, which is still way over my ideal weight. I know you have PCOS too so maybe that's a factor, I don't know. But that's a hard plateau for me to cross and it seems like if I slip up once I bump right back up to 180. The only time I went under 180 (managed to make 150) I was working out 5x a week with 30 mins cardio and 30 mins weightlifting 3x a week. And then on top of that, Summer and I were walking 2 hours a day every day. I don't have time to work out 3 hours anymore.

Are you still on met and BC? That seems to help some people too.

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Laur, I am sure that the PCOS has a big portion to do with it all. It's just so uuuuugh. This has always been the hardest plateau as well, I am not sure why. I guess I need to remember that slow and steady wins the race and that my body will still change, even though the scale doesn't. I used to be really obsessive with weighing myself and I have started to get better with that.

I started doing more HIIT workouts with my cardio, maybe that will help me push me over the edge. Lots of hugs, Laur.... it can be so discouraging.

Started running again. Two days and two good runs and I'm remembering why I loved it so much.

Did 3.77 on the treadmill in my hotel yesterday. Only about 3.1 was really a "run". The rest was warm up, cool down. Times are nothing to write home about. I think my 5K time was in the 42 minute range. Of course, the last time I had run a 5K was about 25 years ago.

Tonight was a run around town. Was about 2.3 miles according to the sparkpeople route mapper. Heart rate monitor/timer said 22:34. I did a cool down walk and stretched out. Now I'm sitting here with an apple and some water (well, lots of water) logging my workout.

In about 6 weeks, I have a "race" against a friend from another board. We were the 1 - 2 finishers in a weight-loss challenge (I beat him on percentage, he beat me on total weight lost) so in order to crown a "grand champion", the fastest 2 mile will get the bragging rights. I'm really looking forward to that, but above all, I'd like to sign up for a 5K come fall. There are several fund-raisers around here that do 5K fun runs. If nothing else, I want to prove to myself that I can do it again.

So that's where I am now. Closing in on "overweight" and enjoying every minute

I'm down 13 lbs...but I'm feeling dissatisfied with just the weight loss. I'm seriously considering joining a CrossFit gym. I want to be strong, lean, and obviously muscular. My legs are NEVER going to be thin, even if I run a LOT. So, I'd rather they look like I want them to be that way LOL

Went out and ran again today. Only did a mile, but I was going at a pretty good clip. Felt great. Stretched out good following a half mile cool down jog/walk. Hoping to be able to walk in the morning. Day three always sucks the most

First workout with my personal trainer. It hit me during that work out how out of shape I tuly am. I've always 'known' but... It hit me hard and that sucks. The workout kicked my ass bad. My legs are shaking and I was totally winded.

I keep reminding myself that this is a very good first step in a good journey even if this step sucks so much.